Tension take-up device for knitting machines



June 7, 1932. Et sc g R 1,861,962

TENsIoN TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed July 18. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l qgi-n I 1/ 1 W 5 31131116 7, 1932. Q A, E, sc eg g 1,861,962

TENSION TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed July 18 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,nlv llllll 11x IN VEN TOR:

Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED E. ISGHINGER, OF WYOMISSING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO TEXTILE MA- CHINE WORKS, 0F WYOMISSING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VAN IA TENSION TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Application filed July 13, 1929. Serial No. 379,084.

This invention relates to fabric tensioning and take-up appliances, and more particularly to the type used on knitting machines such as footers. Y

The primary object of my invention is to provide novel fabric-gripping means for fabric tensioning and take-up appliances, adapted to quickly and automatically grip and release the fabric without injuring the same.

The invention consists in a fabric tensioning appliance incorporating the novel elements, features of construction and arrangement of parts in opera ive relationship as herein exemplified by a preferred embodiment.

Other objects and attendant advantages will become more clearly apparent from the following detailed description,.reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of a fiat-knitted stocking leg, one end of which is engaged on the needles of a knitting machine of the type commony known as afooter, while its opposite end hangs loosely over a guide rod of the machine; my improved fabric tensioning appliance being shown as holding the fabric taut during the foot forming operation.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a fabric-engaging tension bar, and shows two types of fabricgripping devices variously mounted thereon.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 2.

Fig.4 is a cross-sectional elevational view gaken as indicated by the arrows 44 on Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows 5-5 on Fig. 2, the stocking fabric being applied thereto as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig; 6 is a plan view of a modified form of fabric-en gaging tension bar.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one part of a fabric-gripping unit.

Figs. 8 and 9 are fragmentary perspective views of a tension bar having various types of bearings for the fabric-gripping units mounted thereon.

Fabric tensioning appliances and take-up devices are used on various textile machines.

en used on knitting machines, and especially on the type commonly known as footers, which form the foot parts on flatknitted stockings, it becomes of the utmost importance that the fabric-gripping or engaging means does notinjure, or mar the delicate fabric, which is usually silk, and at the same time that it will function to quickly and easily engage and disengage the fabric, soas not to hamper production.

The device of my invention embodies these desirable features in that it automatically grips the fabric and holds it lightly and firmly without detrimental effect to the same.

It will be apparent from the following description, that although my invention is shown and described in connection with a tensioning appliance for footers, it is just as readily applicable elsewhere for the same, or a similar purpose.

By referring more particularly to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the stocking fabric 10 has its heel tabs 11 spread outwardly to establish a straight line with the'instep loops 12. lhis position is ordinarily brought about when the leg-part of the fabric is transferred to the footer needles 13, the finished fabric being allowed to extend from the needles and loosely overhang a rod 14: of the machine.

A fabric-engaging tension bar 15, having similar off-set ends 15 and 15 provided with fabric gripping members 16, is connected by means of a flexible member 17, with tensioning means, which, in the present instance, comprises the common adjustable weight-operated tension take-up roll or drum 18. The fabric is thus engaged at various points adj acent the needles and held properly tauted, until the foot part 19 has been completed.

Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive show the fabric-engaging tension bar 15 provided with variously mounted automatic fabric gripping devices 16, each unit of which comprises one or more pairs of aligned and slightly separated rollers 16a and 16?) mounted to freely rotate on hearing members which may either be directly formed on the bar 15 as at 37, or separately formed as shown at 38 in Fig.

7.. These latter bearings are adjustably secured to the tension bar by screws 19 whose heads bear against the upper surface of the bar 15 and whose shanks extend through a slot 20 in the bar 15 and into the threaded bore of the bearing 38, as clearly shown'in Fig. 5. Other types of separate bearings can be utilized which will coactively combine only one pair of rollers instead of two pairs, as shown.

Thus the rollers 16a and 161) can be moved toward or away from each other for adjustment, and the proper spacing between them provided to adapt thedevices to properly grip various thicknesses of fabric.

' Rollers with smooth coacting surfaces may be provided which function to pinch or compress the fabric as illustrated by the end units in Fig. 2, or the coactive surfaces of the rollers 16a and 16?) may be provided with grooves or intermeshing corrugations of various shapes, such for example as shown at 160, (see center units of Fig. 2) which crimp the fabric. In either case the fabric is firmly and yet lightly held or retained from longitudinal movement.

In order to apply the fabric on the gripping devices 16, it is merely necessary to press the fabric down between the rollers 16a and the fabric can be quickly and easily, as well as automatically applied to, and removed from the gripping devices or units 16, by moving the fabric vertically down or up between the rollers 16a and 16b, whereas withdrawal or slipping of the fabric in a longitudinal direction is prevented by the gripping or crimping action exerted on the fabric when so applied. No manual manipulation or touching of the gripping devices 16 being required, and attachment and release of the fabric being accomplished with one hand.

Fig. 6 shows a modified arrangement of fabric engaging means on a straight tension bar 21. In this instance, only two of the fabricgripping devices are centrally mounted on the bar, while common heel-tab engaging hooks 25 are provided at its ends, in well known manner. The rollers 16a and 16b of the devices 16, as shown in this figure, are rigidly mounted andnon-adjustably spaced from each other on bearings 22, (see Fig. 9) which are in turn fixedly secured to the bar 21 by screws 23 inserted from the bottom of the bar.

It will be noted that the off-set ends 1511 and 15b of the fabric-engaging tension bar 05 15, shown in Fig. 2, bring the heel-tab engaging devices 16 mounted thereon in advance of the intermediately located fabric-gripping devices so as to facilitate attachment of the comparatively short central lengthof the fabric when the tension bar is first applied. The devices on these off-set end parts are thus in the same advanced position as the heeli-tab hook points, of the hooks commonly use Fig. 8 shows another type of bearing 24, which is fixedly mounted in the center of a tension bar 26, which bar is slotted at 27 and 28 to receive adjustable bearing members 38 such as shown'in Fig. 7. With this arrangement [the rollers on hearing 24 will be relatively fixed, while the cooperating adjacent rollers mounted on adjustably movable bearings may be moved toward or away from the same for space adjustments. r

Instead of two of the automatic fabric engaging devices, one may be centrally mounted on the tension bar, or any other suitable and desirable arrangement may be provided.

Of course, the fabric tension appliance shown and described, may bechanged and modified in various ways, and changes may be required and desirable under certain conditions, it is therefore to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact construction and arrangement of elements disclosed, but that such changes and alterations may be made as fairly come within the scope of the invention herein set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim: v

1. Fabric tensioning means for knitting machines, including a movable su port, and cooperating rotatable gripping evices rotated by the fabric in one direction to grip the same, and in a reverse direction to free the fabric; 1 v

2. Fabric tensioning means for knittin machines, including a movable support, an cooperating fabric-gripping ,rollers freely rotatable in a plane transverse to the movement of said support to grip the fabric by .roller rotation in one direction, and to release the fabric by reverse roller rotation.

3. Fabric tensioning -means for knittin machines, including a tension bar having en portions off-set to advance said end portions relative to the intermediate portion, and fabric-engaging means on said end and intermediate portions.

In testimony whereof he afiixes his signature.

ALFRED E. ISCHINGER.

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